Oilers rue ‘missed alternatives’ as win streak ends at 16

LAS VEGAS — Chandler Stephenson scored the go-ahead aim, Adin Hill stopped 30 pictures and the Vegas Golden Knights introduced an finish to the Edmonton Oilers’ 16-game profitable streak with a 3-1 victory on Tuesday night time.

Edmonton was seeking to tie the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins for the longest NHL win streak.

As a substitute, with the sport tied 1-1 after two durations, Stephenson took a go from Jonathan Marchessault and ripped a shot from the middle of the left circle to beat Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner blocker facet to place the Golden Knights in entrance by a aim lower than two minutes into the third interval.

From there, Hill was spectacular in maintaining the Oilers at bay whereas maintaining the gang energized till the ultimate horn.

“I appreciated a whole lot of the elements of our recreation,” Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, who scored within the loss, mentioned. “I assumed it was an identical sort recreation that we have performed all through the streak. We simply did not discover a method to get a win. Their goalie performed nicely, and made some large saves.”

Hill, who got here in main the NHL in goals-against common (1.94) and save proportion (.936), made the save of the night time when he stymied Leon Draisaitl on a backdoor one-timer late within the third interval.

Nic Roy and William Karlsson additionally scored for the Golden Knights.

“Sadly, we got here up a bit of bit brief,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned. “I believe an enormous turning level within the recreation was the late aim [Vegas] scored within the first interval. After which for us, it was simply missed alternatives. I believe the probabilities have been there.”

Skinner made 23 saves within the loss, and Draisaitl and Vincent Desharnais picked up assists alongside the way in which.

“We could not bear down on our possibilities, I felt,” Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm mentioned. “I felt we created so much within the second [period], in all probability deserved a aim or two. In these tight video games, these little particulars, these well timed targets matter in an enormous approach.”

The Oilers, who opened the season 3-9-1 earlier than firing coach Jay Woodcroft on Nov. 12, have been simply 13-15-1 earlier than their win streak began. Edmonton hadn’t misplaced a recreation since Dec. 19 and has improved its document to 29-16-1.

The Oilers have an NHL-best 26-7-0 document since Kris Knoblauch’s first recreation as bench boss on Nov. 13.

“There have been some breakdowns, it wasn’t an ideal recreation,” Knoblauch mentioned. “However general, I assumed the hassle was good, and we simply could not capitalize on our possibilities.”

Edmonton wasn’t deterred by committing the primary penalty recreation. After Desharnais’ poke examine compelled a turnover to spring a 2-on-0 rush, McDavid took a go from Draisaitl and beat Hill to present the Oilers a 1-0 lead with a short-handed aim.

It was McDavid’s tenth aim and twenty seventh level in the course of the Oilers’ 17-game run.

“We’ve got to maneuver on,” McDavid mentioned. “We’ve got to play some good hockey coming down the stretch right here.”

Vegas tied the sport when Roy gathered a rebound from the crease, labored the puck to his backhand and snapped it previous Skinner for his tenth aim of the season.

“It felt like a playoff recreation tonight,” Hill mentioned. “It was loud, followers have been into it, so, it was a very good environment.”

Karlsson’s empty-net aim with 34 seconds left iced the sport for Vegas.

“It was a good recreation, it may have gone both approach,” Ekholm mentioned. “I assumed we performed fairly good, [but] there’s one other stage to our recreation.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.